Verbena plant named ‘Duefarsopi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Duefarsopi’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading and cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and pink-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Duefarsopi’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following relatedapplications: Title: Verbena Plant Named ‘Duefarvio’Applicant: MargaDümmen Title: Verbena Plant Named ‘Duefarwi’Applicant: Marga Dümmen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Duefarsopi’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop new trailing Verbena cultivars with large andintensely-colored flowers.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin July, 2001 of a proprietary seedling selection of Verbena hybridaidentified as F-11-23, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent witha proprietary seedling selection of Verbena hybrida identified asF-20-12, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivarDuefarsopi was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a floweringplant within the progeny from the aforementioned cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in July, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Rheinberg,Germany, since July, 2004, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duefarsopi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duefarsopi’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading and cascading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the female        parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent        selection have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more compact than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the male        parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent        selection have lilac-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the cultivarDuefarvio, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application filedconcurrently, and the cultivar Duefarwi, disclosed in a U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 11/349,722, in flower color.

The new Verbena can be compared to the cultivar, Temari Patio CoralPink, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted inRheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Verbena differed from plants ofthe cultivar Temari Patio Coral Pink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had longer leaves with longer        petioles than plants of the cultivar Temari Patio Coral Pink.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had smaller flowers than plants of        the cultivar Temari Patio Coral Pink.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena were lighter pink in        color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Temari Patio Coral        Pink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena. The photograph is a close-up view of typical leaves,flower buds and flowers of ‘Duefarsopi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotograph, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown during the spring in Rheinberg, Germany, in a glass-coveredgreenhouse and under conditions which approximate those generally usedin commercial Verbena production. Single plans were grown in 13-cmcontainers and pinched about one week after planting. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures were about 18° C.and light levels were about 4,500 foot-candles. Plants used in thephotograph and for the botanical description were about four months old.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar Duefarsopi.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as F-11-23, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as F-20-12, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 10 days at            20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 21 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 25 days at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Compact, outwardly spreading and            cascading plant habit; mounded and bushy plant form.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Freely basal branching; about            four to six lateral branches develop per plant. Moderately            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 19 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Internode length: About 4.5 cm. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 4.4 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Crenate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent; coarse. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 146A; venation, 146D. Developing and fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 146B; venation, 146D. Petiole:            Length: About 6.6 mm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper surface: 146A.            Color, lower surface: 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers arranged on            hemispherical corymbs. Freely flowering with about 20 to 25            flower buds and flowers per inflorescence. Inflorescences            positioned above and beyond the foliage. Flowers last about            one week on the plant. Corollas not persistent. Flowers not            fragrant.        -   Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous            from spring through the fall in Germany; plants begin            flowering about eight weeks after pinching.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.5 cm.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.1 cm. Height (depth): About            2.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Oval to tubular. Color: 146A.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base.            Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Roughly            cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; velvety. Color: When            opening, upper surface: 55A to 55B. When opening, lower            surface: 55B. Fully opened, upper surface: 62B. Fully            opened, lower surface: 56D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into an elongated            tube. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Ligulate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent; coarse. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 146D and 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About four to five            per flower. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: about            0.75 mm. Anther color: 144B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 2D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:            About 1.8 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color: 144D.            Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: 144A. Ovary color:            144C. Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit development has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35°    C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Duefarsopi’, asillustrated and described.